Daily Archives: May 7, 2012

One of the main reasons that we moved to Texas is because the oldest boy wanted to play football.Since Texas is known as the “football state” we decided where better to go to play the sport, than here? Now that we’re here and the boy has played his first year of high school football I can breathe a big sigh of relief. Whew!

Now that it’s off season, one would think that all my worrying would at least stop until next season. Chances for that are unlikely, seeing that every other day there’s a news breaking story being broken in regards to the sport and/or the NFL. More and more kids are suffering from (repeat) concussions from the sport playing; the majority of concussions happen during practice; class action lawsuit brought against the professional league due to brain injuries in former players; suicide being committed by former players. The list can go on and on and on. Fear would strike the heart of any mother, any parent when they hear that players aren’t being taught to tackle properly and that their equipment (in a lot of cases) isn’t up to par and doesn’t meet safety regulations.

For all the reasons (and even a couple more) I never wanted the boy to play football, but how do you ask someone to give up something that seems as if it has been etched in their DNA? How do you not worry yourself into a stroke because you refuse to ask them to quit the football team and take up golf? I guess you don’t. I presume that’s when the vigilant mother in you takes over. You do the research and learn the proper techniques; call them out when they’re not following the rules; you learn what makes the equipment meet the safety regulations; you take all of your concerns to the coach; you question the team docs and medics as to what they’re procedures are if an injury were to occur. YOU SHOW YOUR FACE AT THE PRACTICES and the games. YOU HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE!

As a mom of a boy who loves the game, this is what I’ve decided to do!